No Matter What
by DuCaineFan1
Summary: Calleigh and Horatio's personal relationship with each other, I swear it reads better than the summary!Read and review! E-mail if you like, trying to figure out how to post new chapters ASAP!


No Matter What Chapter 1. Calleigh/Horatio fic. My first. Like it or don't, won't hurt my feelings, no offense. DuCa

I smile into my coffee cup as Calliegh Duquesne's Southern accent floats down the hallway, coming closer to the break room as I turn around to look at her and she stops in the doorway, putting a hand on her hip as she flashes me a bright smile and leans against the door casually as I take in the white eyelet wrap top and black pants she's wearing. "Morning, handsome. I see you've started the coffee for the day, thank you." She says gratefully as I nod and hand her a cup I prepared a minute ago just for her, watching as she inhales the aroma and sips, closing her eyes. "How was your weekend, Calleigh?" I ask as her eyes open and she walks over to join me at the counter, rolling her green eyes in response to my question. "It was great, handsome; I spent it going over the crime scene photos from Friday's case to prepare myself for court on Wednesday. The only thing I'm glad about is you'll be there with me." She says as I tell myself she just means it in a work related way but she moves closer to me and I find my mind and my body at odds with her words and I try to think of something rational to say back to her. "I'm glad you'll be there as well, Ma'am. Would you… would you like to go out to lunch when they break for a recess, or do you have other plans?" I hear myself asking, inwardly cursing myself for saying that as she smiles brightly at me and tucks her hair behind her ear, green eyes on my blue ones.

"No, no plans except lunch with you, handsome. I've got to get to work on that report my boss wants, he's quite a taskmaster, you know." She says flirtatiously as I set down my cup and smile at her, placing a hand on my hip and I'd swear I just saw a vein jump in her throat as I say smoothly, "Well, I'll have to tell him to ease off on you a bit when I see him, Ma'am. I'll come by later and see you unless we get a call out, Calleigh."

I watch Horatio leave and then collapse onto the couch for a couple minutes to get my breathing under control, as well as my mind. _Calleigh, don't be an idiot, he's your friend but he's your boss first, girl, don't go there, he'll just turn you down anyway, you know it'll ruin your working relationship with each other and that won't be good for anyone_, I tell myself sternly as I get up and head to ballistics with my coffee in hand.

I stare at the outfits in my closet at six in the morning on Wednesday, unsure of what to wear to court, until I decide to grab a pair of tan dress pants and a low cut dark green top and head into the shower, getting dressed and carefully applying my makeup after I sweep my hair up into a half ponytail and mentally remind myself to get it cut next week, eating breakfast quickly before heading out the door to be at court early.

I look up from my crime scene photos when I hear him say in a deeper tone reserved just for me, "Morning, Calleigh. You look like your ready." I watch him slip off his sun glasses, loving the color of his eyes, as I ask casually, "Ready for testifying today, or ready for our lunch date, handsome?" His eyes darken and he chuckles with amusement, sitting down beside me. "Both, actually. Just remember, we stick to what the evidence tells us, and don't lose sight of the fact that an innocent woman lost her life, no matter what the defense tries to insinuate otherwise, and we'll both do fine. You have nothing to be nervous about, trust me."

I notice her green eyes blinking more rapidly and then she looks away for a minute, then back at me just as quickly, her voice soft. "I know, it's just so hard all the time, going to court, seeing them like we found them all over again, our credibility, our job, criticized by people who don't understand. I care about every case I've ever worked, and sometimes I wonder if I care too much about the victims. Do you think I do?" she asks, serious. I take a minute to look down at the floor before I answer her. "No, sweetheart, I think you can never care too much, because the opposite of caring is callousness, and in our job, it's easy to lean toward the latter instead of the former. Just know that I care as much as you do, Calleigh."

I'm surprised when she squeezes my hand but I don't let go of hers, needing her strength as much as she needs mine, only letting go a few seconds before the prosecutor comes out and asks to meet with us both, to go over our testimonies for the trial but I can't stop thinking about her even though she's sitting right next to me and I try hard to focus on the trial and my own testimony that, along with Calleigh's, will put the man who murdered a seventy year old man for his mansion away for life.

I smile at him over my glass of iced tea, trying to think of something to say just to get him out of this serious mood he's been in since we broke for lunch, willing him to look at me, and, after some minutes, he does. "Horatio, what's on your mind? You've been so serious since we got here and I'm worried about you. Is it because of the trial, this mood of yours?" I ask concerned, as he takes another bite of his sandwich and shakes his head, wiping his mouth quickly before he leans toward me and sighs. "No, it has nothing to do with the trial, Calleigh. I… I was wondering if, before you leave tonight, you can come by my office because there's something I want to discuss with you, it shouldn't take too long, I promise." I nod, worried about his behavior over the last couple of days, as I say brightly, "Sure, anything for you, handsome. I'll be there at seven." I watch him nod and straighten his shoulders, as though a weight were lifted off of them, and now I'm as curious as all heck to know what he wants to discuss with me, ruling out my job performance, because he'd be the first to tell me if I was lagging behind in anything, wondering if he wants to ask me how my Dad is doing, which is a good possibility, I think as we leave.


End file.
